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Description:
A fine watercolour of this ancient building [SIZE : c.40 x 30 cms. ], interestingly, with a number of smoking factory chimneys in the background.

*TONG HALL, Bradford, West Yorkshire [ despite the contemporary title of this watercolour ], built by a junior member of the Tempest family and which stayed in the family from at least the late sixteenth century. Sir John Tempest (d.1693) 1st baronet was born there as was his younger brother, Pierce Tempest (1653-1712), the printseller and publisher of the Strand. It was rebuilt by Sir George Tempest in 1702 to the designs of Theophilus Shelton, after a fire had destroyed the earlier building. It's early history records that at the Domesday Survey, it was the property of Ilbert de Lacy. It passed into the ownership of Richard de Tang in the twelfth century. The Tempest holdings remained intact until 1941. Tong Hall is now a Grade I listed building. It's construction of red brick and local gritstone is unusual for the Bradford area and is visible in the watercolour offered here.